I recently came across a meme that I felt the need to investigate, even though I wanted to believe it, and had every reason to think it was true.
I located the name on the meme, and verified CC Ellis did have a specific ‘FDA approved & recalled’ post on January 11, 2024.
It was clear someone else may have created this exact meme with red ink, as Mrs. Ellis’s was noticably different. Whoever did create it used her stated data and credited her before sharing it. A post by a third person on the same day was also located here.
This is how quickly misinformation spreads.
Meme Claim: “Our lovely and completely trustworthy FDA closed out 2023 with the following recalled products after they were previously approved. I guess the check bounced.”
Effort taken to verify: I inspected the FDA lists of all of these products that were previously approved (dates not included), and then recalled due to potential ‘toxicities’ as is required by the Food and Drug Administration and listed the results under each claim.
Here is what I discovered
Claim: FDA approved & recalled 44 veterinary products
Results: There were 43 noted at the end of the year, and the dates were between 2018-2023.
In 2023 specifically, there were 17.
1 other was located in pharmacueticals, and would increase the total in veterinary section to 44.
Claim: FDA approved & recalled 181 pharmaceuticals drugs
Results: There were 181 noted at the end of the year, and the dates were 2018-2023.
In 2023 specifically, there were 49.
1 was a veterinary drug, which would make the total in veterinary section increase to 44
Claim: FDA approved & recalled 562 food and beverages
Results: There were actually 558 noted at the end of the year, and the dates were between 2018-2023.
Some products were found to contain ‘undisclosed contents’: soy, sulfites, wheat, fish, coconut, nuts, milk, eggs, gluten, bone, PFAS, undeclared yellow #5, unapproved dye E123, cardiac glycosides, elevated levels of lead, drugs (Diclofenac, Dexamethasone, etc), plastic, glass, metals, or other foreign materials.
The majority of recalls were consistent with contamination of salmonella, listeria, Clostridium botulinum, mold, Hepatitis A, or ecoli.
Claim: FDA approved & recalled 43 medical devices
Results: There were 43 noted at the end of the year, and the dates were between 2017-2023.
The issues range from: salmonella, sterility, component defect, potential for magnetic interference, stored at improper temperature, lack of appropriate premarket clearance or approval, battery swelling, microbial contamination, false results, radio frequency interference, fire hazard.
Two issues were suspect, and would require more info on what, where, and why this occurred and who approved the product to be illegally imported into the United States and unauthorized U.S. distribution-counterfeited product. Both were covid related tests.
Claim: FDA approved & recalled 822 radiation emitting products
Results: There were actually 0 noted at the end of the year.
Claim: FDA approved & recalled 1 tobacco product in 2023
Results: There was 1 noted at the end of the year and recalled for foreign metal.
No claim: was mentioned for cosmetics category in which there were 10 from 2021-2023
No claim: was mentioned for biologics category in which there were 0.
All combined, there were 816 specific instances noted
on the current website between 2017-2023.
(Other FDA archives years were not included, but were available.)
CONCLUSION:
In the majority of cases they were each isolated, accidental instances, or related to: distribution, manufacturing, and processing. (salmonella, rodents, machine failure, stored at improper temperature, sterility, etc.)
Some previously approved products were found to be have undisclosed contents not labeled by the manufacturer, though unknown if it was intentional or unintentional deception on their part.
Many herbal male enhancement capsules contained unapproved sildenafil and tadalafil; and other products had Diclofenac, and accidental benzene.
There is no evidence noted here that showed the FDA knowingly was aware of the undisclosed contents, if the product had sufficient testing, if the product had the ingredient that was included at the time of approval, or was added later after approval, or during processing facilities. Too many unknowns on just a couple of products overall.
In my opinion, based on what I can see, these recalls were just. It is supposed to be the job of the FDA to protect consumers from danger, both before the product is issued, and any unforseen issues after.
Overall the meme ‘insinuates’ that the FDA lists of specific issues presented were all related to financial gain of FDA. The post assumption (the ‘check bounced’) are not based on facts here.
This is an insinuation that these recalled products were approved due to bribes,
or other illicit manner.
Though a couple were questionable, and would need more followup, overall I found that specific claim unsubstaintiated.
Even if a much of the meme statements were technically accurate, much of it was inaccurate too! (zero radiation emitting products, not 822).
The distorted ‘opinion’ regarding the misleading and speculative claim of internal corruption was not based on any facts at all, and they didn’t provide any links (internal, or external) to back up their claims, or opinion.
Therefore I give this meme a FALSE rating.
Though I do believe from my previous unrelated research that there is corruption within the FDA, and other governement agencies… I do not believe it is the entire agencies employees.
Many good and honorable people work within these agencies, and cannot be held accountable for those that are, or may be corrupted for the sake of profit.
For those who are deceitful, we do need to follow through, present facts, and prosecute any who intentional put us in harms way to line their own pockets.
But to blemish the entire agency because of the few who maybe corrupted, is unjustified.
I am grateful for the honorable men and women who do the jobs they were hired to do and protect the public from harmful products.
Because in the end, presenting facts does matter, and they need to be 100% accurate.
But just becasue this meme is inaccurate, it is not hard to see why people are easily led to believe misinformation knowing of the FDA’s track record.
The fact does remain, and I know many of us who do wonder and question why a lot of ingredients (many carcinogenic) are even added to products at all.
And what is the danger to us in using these products: Cosmetics, agricultural products, pharmacueticals, hormone treatments, scotchguard furniture and carpets, vaccines, baby food, processed foods, teflon pans, poisons applied on crops. You name it… somthing toxic is probably in it?
A few examples would include Chemicals like: Arsenic, 1,4-Dioxane, Bisphenol A (BPA), Bleach, Bronopol, Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA), Chlorine, DMDM Hydantoin, Ethanolamines, Flame Retardants, Formaldehyde, Flouride, Glyosphates, Hydroquinone, Mercury, Nanoparticles, Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPEs), Oxybenzone, Padimate-O, Parabens, Perfluorochemicals (PFCs), PFA’s, Phenoxyethanol, Phthalates, Polyacrylamide, Polyethylene Glycols (PEGs), Quaternium-15, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), Synthetic Fragrances, Talc, Toluene, Tributyltin (TBT), Triclosan, FD&C Yellow 5.
That’s just a small list to get you started.
On that note, I’ll ask the question… when and who approved these prior, and WHY is any level of carcinogenic toxins acceptable? Who is really looking out for us?
The answer might suprise you.
According to Jessica Definno – Are Beauty Brands Intentionally Hiding Their Ingredient?
“Considering the fact that a portion of chemicals in cosmetics have been found in blood streams and breast tissue, or are otherwise loosely linked to cancer, hormone disruption, reproductive toxicity, environmental damage, and garden-variety allergies and irritation (all of which disproportionately affect people of color), shouldn’t withholding this type of information be, I don’t know, illegal? Frowned upon, at least? Don’t customers have the right to know what’s in the beauty products they buy — and, incidentally, in their blood and breasts?
No, says the Food & Drug Administration. They do not. There are some laws in the United States around ingredient listing, however, there are major loopholes.
The law that regulates ingredient disclosure is the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, and it was passed in the late 1960s, so it’s really before the advent of the internet,” Melanie Benesh, a legislative attorney for the Environmental Working Group, tells me over the phone. No updates have been made to the 1966 legislation to account for e-commerce, despite the fact that the internet accounts for a sizable portion of industry sales. Because of this, digital platforms are free to make their own choices about Web disclosure — and they often choose ambiguity over honesty.”
So back to the original meme… is the FDA trustworthy? That’s a fair question, and I’m not going to give you my opinion here. You’ll have to come to your own conclusions.
Just because something is sold on the internet today, doesn’t make it safe. Do your own investigations for peace of mind for yourself, and your family. Question everything, and everyone until you know the facts!
One opinion I will share today:
I believe we need more oversight by the FDA, more ingredient transparency,
and better laws that protect consumers, not less.
#VerifyBeforeYourPost #VerifyBeforeYouBuy #WeNeedToDoBetter #FDA
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